International ISBN Agency - ISBN Standard Revision
ISBN Users' Manual
The ISBN Users' Manual for the new standard that will be used from 2007 is now available as a pdf document.
Guidelines for local ISBN agencies on the Implementation of 13-digit ISBNs
The guidelines for local ISBN agencies on the Implementation of 13-digit ISBNs (Revised February 2006) are available as a PDF-file here.
Guidelines for the Implementation of 13-digit ISBNs
We
hope that you are aware of the current revision of the ISBN standard
(ISO 2108) and the important changes that will be made in the number
structure, scope and governance of the ISBN system.
The [revised] Guidelines for the Implementation (french version;
german version; spanish version;
hungarian version)
of 13 Digit ISBNs are intended to provide you with early information
and advice concerning the changes in the number itself and the effect
that this will have on nearly all book sector systems. The guidelines
have been drafted by a subgroup of the ISO committee (ISO/TC46/SC9/WG4)
revising the actual standard, with input and advice from a wide range
of industry organisations.
Major changes to be aware of, and addressed by the [revised] guidelines, include the following:
- The ISBN will change from 10 to 13 digits on 1 January 2007
- Existing ISBNs will be prefixed by 978
- The resulting 13-digit number will be identical with the EAN-13 number that is currently encoded in the bar code
- The 979 prefix will be introduced when the current stock of numbers is exhausted
- Publishers' identifier prefixes are not likely to remain the same for ISBNs using the 979 prefix
- Bar
codes will carry the 13-digit ISBN with hyphenation above the barcode
and the EAN-13, the identical number without hyphens or spaces, below
the bar code.
ISO/TC 46/SC 9/Working Group 4
Project 2108: Revision of the ISBN standard
The
International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is based on an ISO
International Standard that was first published in 1972 as ISO 2108.
ISO 2108 specifies the basic structure of an ISBN, the rules for its
allocation, and the administration of the ISBN system. ISO 2108 is
currently under revision to deal with changes to the ISBN system. For
further information please contact the following URL:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/wg4.htm
Frequently Asked Questions about changes to the ISBN:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/isbn.htm
French version of the Frequently Asked Questions:
http://www.afnil.org/pdf/FOIRE%20AUX%20QUESTIONS%20ISBN13.pdf
What's New:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/isbn/wg4new.htm
Register of project documents for the ISBN revision:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/isbn/wg4docs.htm
Meeting information:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/isbn/wg4mtgs.htm
Project Status:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/2108.htm
ISBN-L Discussion List:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/isbn/isbn-l.pdf
Terms of Reference:
http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/isbn/wg4n1.pdf
Information leaflets for publishers
The International ISBN Agency has prepared handouts in English, French and Spanish to be distributed at the ISBN stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair. These information leaflets are intended for publishers and should also be translated and made available by the national ISBN agencies to their respective customers.
Press Release
Press information about the approval of the Committee Draft of the revised ISBN standard (CD 2108) to Draft International Standard
Press information about the ISBN Revision by Michael Healy (Convenor, ISO TC46/SC9/WG4) and Michael Cairns (Chair, ISBN Executive Committee)
BISG Machine-Readable Coding Committee paper on ISBN issues
As
part of the effort to help the publishing industry prepare for the
changes, the Book Industry Study Group's Machine Readable Coding
Committee has prepared a paper designed to "frame the issues" related
to the evolution that is occurring in product identification:
http://www.bisg.org/bulletins/bisg_bulletin_5.03.html/#5